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Saturday Gardening and Puttering Thread, September 12, 2020 [KT]

cactsnit.jpg

Hello gardeners, putterers, dreamers and fugitives from fire and weather! Today we're starting off with an ethereal cactus flower from Bonecrusher:

A gift from my very old cactus. It has lived in this pot for over 20 years. The flowers only last 1 night. When I move the plant, sometimes it topples (DAMMIT!) and breaks off an arm, these get shoved in the ground where they live or die of neglect. The fence is 5 feet tall so you can get some perspective.

I really enjoy the gardening thread and am downright giddy when I can contribute a beauty like this one.

cactusnit2.jpg

I love that!

Weather, Gardens and Nature

Many of us have been preoccupied with wildfires lately, but there have also been high winds in Utah that have caused significant damage. The winds are similar to Chinook or Santa Ana winds. The cause of the winds is different than in the recent Derecho winds in the Midwest. Similar wind speeds in many areas.

The damage is not as extensive as the current fire damage around the West, but still.

Last week, my cousin canned 59 quarts of peaches from her little peach tree. Made her tired.

peachsss.jpg

This week, her little peach tree blew over, and she cut it up with her little chain saw. She is the cousin who puts the geraniums in the basement for the winter. She put them in the garage when the winds were forecast. Might have had to leave them there for an early frost forecast. A local nursery owner tells people who ask about over-wintering geraniums about her.

I think the oldest is about 15 years. I usually retire some every year. If they don't look good in the basement, I might take some cuttings and plant some more but I usually end up with about 20 pots of geraniums. I am by no means an expert, but I've had a lot of beautiful flowers over the years. They like my third level basement and I know most people don't have that in their home.

geranmm.jpg

The winds also took out a big tree at my nephew's house (doesn't seem to have hurt the house) and a tree branch took out the power line to my mother's house and the electric meter. The storm took out the power to a niece's house. Hard when they have a new baby. Thousands of trees downed across the impacted area, from what I have read.

Are you doing anything to prepare your plants for changing weather, or even fire? Planning on planting a tree? Maybe we need to review some guidelines.

Indoor Plants

If it seems easier just to leave plants indoors, here is some advice on a bunch of low-key succulents and other houseplants. Quite a variety. Some we know. I don't know how "low-key" orchids are. Maybe some orchids are more "low-key" than others.

I had never heard of a ZZ Plant before.

Science

Is this the Corn of the Future?

seirra mucous.png

The corn variety Sierra Mixe grows aerial roots that produce a sweet mucus that feeds bacteria. The bacteria, in turn, pull nitrogen out of the air and fertilize the corn. If scientists can breed this trait into conventional corn, it could lead to a revolution in agriculture.

Looks delightful. Mars, Inc., the outfit that makes Snickers Bars and Uncle Ben's Rice, is researching this. Seems like a lot of people are researching nitrogen fixation in connection with all sorts of plants.

Here's another piece on landraces of corn. Ancient genetic engineering.

Gardens of The Horde

Note to Captain Josepha Sabin, who had the insect question a couple of weeks ago: I have a message from another member of The Horde. Seems legit if you want to shoot me an email at the address below.

Tom Servo sent in the following:

These are two shots I took in my backyard this morning, I think only the close up looks good, beautyberry can be a messy bush. Most
of the plants in my yard I have bought and placed, but this is a native that came up Volunteer, and I have taken care of it ever since. It always is at it's peak in early September.

bberrry1.jpg

Looks kind of like a native volunteer.

bberrry2.jpg

You can see why they call them "Beautyberry".

There are several species. Useful for wildlife plantings.

From a lurker:

Gave up on tomatoes this year. Z1nnias and butterflies galore.
George

Beautiful! Can you identify the butterfly?

zenn.JPG

Hello, TimInVirginia here. Attached are some pictures from my backyard, which has effectively become our "garden". One picture is our beautiful patch of bee balm, with the workers doing their thing. And the other is my 12 year old mimosa tree which makes me smile just to look at.

This tree was started from a seed. I have documented its life from seedling to this point, including times when it would have served as a double or Charlie Brown's Christmas tree.

Thank you for your work on the gardening thread.

bbalmm.jpg

That bee balm towers over the daylilies!

mimmos.jpg

Impressive for a seed-grown tree, don't you think?

More daylilies:

These are more photos of Hemerocallis blooms in our garden beds from this summer. We have nearly a dozen different varieties from several sources -- Viette Nurseries in Fishersville, VA, donated plant sales, and from previous owners of our properties -- spread around eight different beds that I am presently in the process of rearranging to create more organized and pleasing displays. All these blooms are from 2-1/2 to 3 inches across. I do not know the varietal names for most of them, unfortunately.


These two are unknown varietals that we obtained from Viette Nurseries nearly twenty years ago. I no longer have the bill of sale that would identify them. The Viette Nurseries are well worth visiting in late June through July if you are interested in Day Lilies, as they cultivate and sell hundreds of different varieties of them. They may still sponsor or host a gardening radio show on Saturday mornings, to which I used to listen when I lived nearby in Waynesboro back in the day.

Best regards,
Krebs v Carnot

Fancy ones. This one would be especially nice with Tim's bee balm above:

Hemero111.jpg

Hemero121.jpg

If you would like to send information and/or photos for the Saturday Gardening Thread, the address is:

ktinthegarden
at that "g" mail dot com place

Include your nic unless you want to remain a lurker.

Posted by: Open Blogger at 01:14 PM




Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 This officially signals that I have to mow the lawn.

Posted by: Grump928(C) at September 12, 2020 01:15 PM (yQpMk)

2 In the top ten

Posted by: Traveling Man Who's Stuck At Home. Thanks China &&&& at September 12, 2020 01:16 PM (xblh9)

3 I need to finish mowing the yard... 2 more acres, but thunderstorms are approaching and the grass is still wet.

I believe I'll make Bloody Marys instead.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at September 12, 2020 01:17 PM (3H9h1)

4 My pagoda flowers, as promised. These are over 9 feet tall. Bloom all summer, and butterflies love them. Yesterday evening it looked like the Fredreck Meijer Gardens out here.

Links to i m g u r.

https://tinyurl.com/y5b2o3cf

https://tinyurl.com/y42wfh5t

Posted by: Taqiyyologist at September 12, 2020 01:18 PM (j3jZX)

5 Posted by: Grump928(C) at September 12, 2020 01:15 PM (yQpMk)

if you're close, I'll come over with my cheetah

Posted by: REDACTED at September 12, 2020 01:18 PM (O+AcM)

6 Also those are Mexican petunias on the bottom. We have a lot of those, too.

Posted by: Taqiyyologist at September 12, 2020 01:19 PM (j3jZX)

7 Just went down to my fav farm and bought a dozen silver queens

Posted by: REDACTED at September 12, 2020 01:19 PM (O+AcM)

8 Marigolds around bird feeder are doing great. I hope they come back next year. Azaleas are looking peaked. Might have to dig them up and replant them. They have a lot of blooms in the Spring, but the bushes are scraggly. Wondering if we have them planted in the wrong location.

Posted by: Traveling Man Who's Stuck At Home. Thanks China &&&& at September 12, 2020 01:23 PM (xblh9)

9 Yo

Posted by: Clyde Shelton at September 12, 2020 01:24 PM (Do5/p)

10
Can you identify the butterfly?







His name is Bob. He hit on my girlfriend in high school. Major asshole.

Posted by: IllTemperedCur at September 12, 2020 01:25 PM (EGyGV)

11 Puttering news:

Ditch irrigation is finished for the season. I have been draining and coiling up my network of hoses for the winter.

There were pallets of canning jars at the local Walmart. I thought of the plight of my fellow morons when I saw them. Anybody want me to pick up a case for them?

Posted by: Emmie at September 12, 2020 01:26 PM (4JM5Y)

12 Can you identify the butterfly?

No, but I know about its effect on the future.

Posted by: Clyde Shelton at September 12, 2020 01:26 PM (Do5/p)

13 His name is Bob. He hit on my girlfriend in high school. Major asshole.
Posted by: IllTemperedCur at September 12, 2020 01:25 PM (EGyGV)


I thought it identified as Roberta. Don't misgender that beautiful creature you Shitlord. j/k.

Posted by: Traveling Man Who's Stuck At Home. Thanks China &&&& at September 12, 2020 01:27 PM (xblh9)

14 My wife used to keep the geraniums over the winter in the basement near a window. Our current house has a lower level walkout so they would get plenty of light and they would just take off when planted outside.

But about 15 years ago the whitetail deer moved into our suburb and our geraniums were no more. At least, no more flowers as whitetail eat them faster than a 10 year old pounding down a bag of skittles. Now we can no longer have nice things in the yard.

Posted by: George V at September 12, 2020 01:30 PM (U2Tva)

15 Just planted some purple pansies. *pats self on back*

Michigan has been glorious the last couple days. Feels like Fall.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, Michigangsta at September 12, 2020 01:41 PM (Dc2NZ)

16 A nice surprise is a sudden spate of cherry tomatoes that appeared this week. Full size but still green. I'll pick them later (before the F'ing squirrels get to them) and let them ripen on the window sill. That worked fine last year.

I'm pretty sure this is the last gasp for the tomatoes but they delivered the goods this season. We got a few locally grown beefsteak types for sammiches but the cherries took care of the salad needs. Along with our leaf lettuce and herbs, I consider this a good gardening season.

Posted by: JTB at September 12, 2020 01:41 PM (7EjX1)

17 Love that top photo. The brilliant, natural colors and details against that black background makes it a work of art.

Posted by: JTB at September 12, 2020 01:43 PM (7EjX1)

18 Taqiyyologist at September 12, 2020 01:18 PM

Those are spectacular!

Posted by: KT at September 12, 2020 01:43 PM (BVQ+1)

19 The plague of tree rats has decimated my 'maters. I wish tomatoes were carnivorous. I'll give my two plants a couple more weeks to produce and then they get the axe.

I can use your pots for mums, you layabouts!

Posted by: All Hail Eris, Michigangsta at September 12, 2020 01:44 PM (Dc2NZ)

20 The plague of tree rats has decimated my 'maters.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, Michigangsta at September 12, 2020 01:44 PM (Dc2NZ)

I have declared war on them.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at September 12, 2020 01:46 PM (xT2tT)

21 JTB at September 12, 2020 01:41 PM
Nice surprise!

Posted by: KT at September 12, 2020 01:46 PM (BVQ+1)

22 It's been so hot and dry here even the weeds aren't growing.
Last flowers were my yucca and some sweet peas.
Now, I just need the fires to stay away.

Posted by: Winston, dreg of society at September 12, 2020 01:50 PM (d9Irc)

23 I was finally able to pick some of the dahlias to bring into the house.

They were doing great this year but my roofing crew beat them up pretty badly.

Posted by: Tonypete at September 12, 2020 01:55 PM (Rvt88)

24 Up here in the Texas Panhandle, we had a late October style front blow through in early September. Forty mph north winds and temps into the mid 30s and an inch of rain. Nothing got bit by frost, but it sure put a crimp in the tomatoes ripening and blew branches off the bell and cayenne pepper plants. The cucumbers didn't grow any length, but they sure got fat and wet. When you bite into a cuke the water just explodes out of them. Ah, global warming.

Posted by: huerfano at September 12, 2020 01:58 PM (9dnxb)

25 Mrs928 is a gourmand of canes and bamboo. I think we have 15 or so different types and you have to stay on top of them or they spread everywhere. Unfortunately I have ignored the area around the garden at the very back of the property until it is a chore to clear it up into some semblance of order. And of course since we are in our burn ban season, I have to drag their dismembered corpses 400+ feet to the road for the trash man.

Posted by: Grump928(C) at September 12, 2020 01:58 PM (yQpMk)

26 3 nites w/ below freezing temps. and snow have pretty much wiped out the potted garden and flowers.

Posted by: Ronster at September 12, 2020 01:58 PM (x/YJq)

27 up hill, both ways.

Posted by: Grump928(C) at September 12, 2020 01:58 PM (yQpMk)

28 lots of nice backyard flora featured above ... thanks for all the sharing.


Corn that pulls its own nitrogen out of the air, pretty neat. "They" used to say that one pound of nitrogen could be credited to the next year for each bushel of soybeans produced, but that is now refined ... soybeans use all the nitrogen they fix in their root nodes, the next year nitrogen credit (for corn) depends on organic matter in the soil, and probably comes from "soil organic matter mineralization after the plants mature".


Raccoons/deer/varmints would probable love to munch on that sweet mucous that corn plant produced, but the idea has merit. The cost of adding nitrogen alone is about $80/acre.

Posted by: illiniwek at September 12, 2020 01:59 PM (Cus5s)

29 and it's hot and steamy AF here.

Posted by: Grump928(C) at September 12, 2020 01:59 PM (yQpMk)

30 I envy the lady who canned 59 quarts of peaches from one tree!
We have two trees, and one had wonderful, succulent peaches early (June:2 peaches) but the other had tons of peaches that never ripened.
We did NOT keep the label(!), so I'm gonna try some grafting this late winter.

We had bought 2 1/2 bushels from a nearby orchard, but don't think we came close to 59 quarts.

Posted by: MarkY at September 12, 2020 02:01 PM (nPN1A)

31 *** PSA ***

Ozark MoMe Oct. 11th (Columbus Day weekend). See contact info in sidebar at left, if u r interested. pls.

Ground Zero will be the Lake of the Ozarks area, near Camdenton & Lake Ozark, MO.

Posted by: mnw at September 12, 2020 02:02 PM (Cssks)

32 It's 72 and sunny here. Finally!!! Now, I need to get out to the garden and get some work done.

Posted by: Jewells45 at September 12, 2020 02:02 PM (dUJdY)

33 20 The plague of tree rats has decimated my 'maters.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, Michigangsta at September 12, 2020 01:44 PM (Dc2NZ)

In he Berkshires, we have a lot of porcupines

they love to snip off branches and then feed upon them on the ground

my favorite pastime is to make a large carafe of martinis

get a flashlight, the carafe and a pitchfork

load it all in the Foreman and get about 100 feet from a suspect tree

then wait for them to show themselves

I am Spartacus

Posted by: REDACTED at September 12, 2020 02:03 PM (O+AcM)

34
Also, we are pulling plants. Canned all the whole tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and salsa we could ever eat in 9 months, and still have them coming on.
One more round of okra, and we're done. Pickled, frozen whole (for roasting or grill), coated, then oven-blanched for frying, and frozen chunks for soups. I'm the designated picker, and I'm ready for the break.
New cukes coming on. New green bean plants producing. Lettuce, kale, spinach doing nicely (2nd crop).

Posted by: MarkY at September 12, 2020 02:06 PM (nPN1A)

35 Thank you KT!

Tom Servo, we've got lots of Beautyberry in my yard, too! Are you in central Florida, too?

Posted by: Taqiyyologist at September 12, 2020 02:07 PM (j3jZX)

36 I am Spartacus
Posted by: REDACTED

Hee! That sounds like my groundhog strategy, only with air rifle and gin.

Posted by: MarkY at September 12, 2020 02:07 PM (nPN1A)

37 Bone rusher, that cactus is amazing in and of itself; the flower is the icing on the cake.

Love the daylilies. They are a palate-cleanser after those bacteria-ridden mucus corn abominations. Looks like something my upwind neighbor would plant.

In my garden, varmints discovered zucchini taste good, so they gnawed the peel off first. Looks like a carving. I just got a packet of seeds for next year; I hope the rodents forget they're delicious.

The sedum are full of bumblebees, so I will have to wait a while to transplant them.

Posted by: NaughtyPine at September 12, 2020 02:08 PM (/+bwe)

38 The last yellow flower reminds me of seersucker fabric. And the cactus flower is so pretty. The house behind me has a tall saguaro cactus that is covered in blooms at times. Pretty to look at.

Posted by: AlmostYuman at September 12, 2020 02:09 PM (8bESi)

39
I don't have anything to say about my garden, but I did buy some white peaches and red bell peppers at the farmer's market today. I bought a ton of zucchini a few weeks ago, finally got around to making soup out of it with some fresh oregano.

There, did the food thread and the gardening thread in one swell foop.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at September 12, 2020 02:11 PM (G51Gf)

40 Just a quick message on beekeeping - I'll type my regularly scheduled Famous Message later. I subscribe to a pair of sister magazines, Backwoods Home Magazine, and Self-Reliance. I highly recommend them both. I happened to have the BHM April/May/June issue out for the article on recipes for peas, and noticed it also had an article "How to Become a Backyard Beekeeper". Looks like pretty basic info, just an overview of what you'd be getting into, but it might be useful for anyone considering beekeeping.

The blow-in card for BHM says "raising livestock, gardening, preserving food, building, making a living, forgoing, firearms, cooking from scratch, canning, alternative energy, country living". If you're interested in any of those, they now have their articles on a website and you can check it out. If you like what you see - consider subscribing to the paper magazines. (I have no financial interest in the success of the magazines, other than I hope they keep publishing so I can keep subscribing. I did meet the family who runs the magazines, at a long weekend Project Appleseed event in Brookings, OR, some years ago, and they are wonderful people.)

Posted by: Pat* at September 12, 2020 02:14 PM (2pX/F)

41 I've been hearing about shortages of canning materials all over the country. It's attributed to more people staying home and doing 'home' things, like canning and cooking. (I wonder if they are asking their grandmothers about Home Ec classes back in the 1950s and 60s.) Even a forum dealing with campfire cooking and historic frontier cooking got into a long thread about shortages of yeast for baking which led into discussions about using natural yeasts for breads and pickling.

I haven't heard about a similar situation with home vegetable gardening but I have to think it is happening. And if it is, does it consist of a container with a tomato plant or more extensive container and in-ground gardening?

Posted by: JTB at September 12, 2020 02:19 PM (7EjX1)

42 Hee! That sounds like my groundhog strategy, only with air rifle and gin.
Posted by: MarkY at September 12, 2020 02:07 PM (nPN1A)

works across the board, even in portland

Posted by: REDACTED at September 12, 2020 02:19 PM (O+AcM)

43 Butterfly Lives Matter!

Posted by: klaftern at September 12, 2020 02:21 PM (RuIsu)

44 This has been a strange year, what with the terlit paper hoarding, the Great Meat Panic, and the canning jar shortage.

Less a "shortage" than consumer frenzy and government fiat.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, Michigangsta at September 12, 2020 02:23 PM (Dc2NZ)

45 get a flashlight, the carafe and a pitchfork

load it all in the Foreman and get about 100 feet from a suspect tree

then wait for them to show themselves

I am Spartacus
Posted by: REDACTED at September 12, 2020 02:03 PM (O+AcM)
---
But...porcupines vs. pitchfork? Do you throw it like a lance?

Posted by: All Hail Eris, Michigangsta at September 12, 2020 02:25 PM (Dc2NZ)

46 So are beautyberries edible?

Posted by: bear with asymmetrical balls at September 12, 2020 02:28 PM (H5knJ)

47 I mentioned this last week on the canning jars shortage. Just wait until the smoke clears and you'll be able to find canning jars galore. People might even pay you to take them off their hands.

Posted by: Traveling Man Who's Stuck At Home. Thanks China &&&& at September 12, 2020 02:28 PM (JXyUG)

48 But...porcupines vs. pitchfork? Do you throw it like a lance?
Posted by: All Hail Eris, Michigangsta at September 12, 2020 02:25 PM (Dc2NZ)

*reviews contract for fairness clause*

no

Posted by: REDACTED at September 12, 2020 02:29 PM (O+AcM)

49 MarkY at September 12, 2020 02:06 PM
Wow. That's a lot of okra! Do you have a favorite variety?

Posted by: KT at September 12, 2020 02:31 PM (BVQ+1)

50 NaughtyPine at September 12, 2020 02:08 PM
Try photographing the zucchini carvings for an art museum. You never know these days.

Posted by: KT at September 12, 2020 02:33 PM (BVQ+1)

51 KT, I do like to see other people canning, and yes that many pints of peaches would make anyone tired.

I didn't can peaches this year, but I did get some to make peach jam.

Today I am making pear chutney and I am wobbling between using raisins or chopping up my home-dried prunes . . . decisions, decisions

Posted by: Kindltot at September 12, 2020 02:33 PM (WyVLE)

52 Reports coming out that Morocco and Israel will establish direct air flights between the two countries [I have been tweeting that we will see movement in relations between the two]

Posted by: Nevergiveup at September 12, 2020 02:34 PM (tsZQ+)

53 Grass cut. Slightly wet. Took my time.

Now, Beer.

Posted by: jsg at September 12, 2020 02:36 PM (IC+Cn)

54 bear with asymmetrical balls at September 12, 2020 02:28 PM
For birds. And some rodents, apparently.

Posted by: KT at September 12, 2020 02:36 PM (BVQ+1)

55 So are beautyberries edible?
Posted by: bear with asymmetrical balls

I don't know about humans, but the black bears eat them sometimes. Seems like they'd be stripped bare but they're not, so the bears probably don't prefer them.

Posted by: Taqiyyologist at September 12, 2020 02:37 PM (j3jZX)

56 40 ... Pat*,

Thanks for mentioning the two magazines: "Back Woods Home" and "Self-Reliance". I subscribe to Backwoodsman magazine (it's a gem) and the ones you brought up sound like they are in that same vein. I'm going to check out the websites and stop at the local Barnes and Noble to get copies.

Even if I don't intend to do the activities in the articles (should have started 50 years ago), it's pleasant to read about them.

Posted by: JTB at September 12, 2020 02:37 PM (7EjX1)

57 if you're close, I'll come over with my cheetah
Posted by: REDACTED at September 12, 2020 01:18 PM (O+AcM)

A Scag is a nice mower. It was down to them and a Gravely for me. I went Gravely because the parts were a bit cheaper and it has been a great mower.

But now I want a Ferris ISO

Posted by: jsg at September 12, 2020 02:39 PM (IC+Cn)

58 Even if I don't intend to do the activities in the articles (should have started 50 years ago), it's pleasant to read about them.
Posted by: JTB at September 12, 2020 02:37 PM (7EjX1


---

Kind of like my fixation with woodworking magazines and tools. (And wood carving)

Look at the featured projects and think...I can do that, if I had the time...or for one of the more complicated pieces, boy, I'd sure like to try that.

Posted by: Traveling Man Who's Stuck At Home. Thanks China &&&& at September 12, 2020 02:42 PM (JXyUG)

59 Hiya

Posted by: JT at September 12, 2020 02:42 PM (arJlL)

60 No Mr. Sunshine ?

Posted by: JT at September 12, 2020 02:42 PM (arJlL)

61 Which, since I've chosen early retirement, I'll probably get my chance.

Posted by: Traveling Man Who's Stuck At Home. Thanks China &&&& at September 12, 2020 02:43 PM (JXyUG)

62 Hola JT. Como esta?

Posted by: Traveling Man Who's Stuck At Home. Thanks China &&&& at September 12, 2020 02:43 PM (JXyUG)

63 We have a fruit down here called Manchineel. Death Apples.
Everything about the entire tree -- fruit, sap, leaves, sawdust, roots, and even rain dripping off the leaves is deadly. Ponce deLeon was killed by an arrow poisoned with the stuff.

Iguanas can eat it, and live in the trees.

I'm glad it grows further South than me. The descriptions on Wikipedia... Wow.

Posted by: Taqiyyologist at September 12, 2020 02:45 PM (j3jZX)

64 The butterfly looks like a False Monarch, but it's kinda hard to tell with it's wings closed.

Posted by: Spiny Norman at September 12, 2020 02:53 PM (YJhzI)

65 From Idaho's Treasure Valley, Boise area: Just a note that I'm not sure exactly when I'll post next week. We'll be helping run a 4-H event Saturday morning, so I expect my post will be in the evening. (Then we'll be helping at a Project Appleseed event on Sunday.)

I'm jealous of all those peaches, though I would have made peach jam. Some years ago, I was chatting with one of the clerks at my grocery - she bemoaned her dead zucchini plants, but said she had a good crop of peaches coming on. I gave her a whole boxful of zucchini, and told her to let me know when her peaches might be ready and I'd pick them up at Customer Service. She gave me about 25 ripe peaches, which I promptly turned into jam.

We had a windstorm Monday night, that brought down huge amounts of debris from our 4 Annoying Sycamores. Since I was having guests over Tuesday night, I had to rake up the entire front lawn on Tuesday morning. It's a wonder my shoulders still functioned afterwards, as that was a good 3 hours of solid work. We did lose one silver maple branch, but it did no damage when falling.

Husband has used a dethatcher on the lawn, twice recently, so I've had a lot of grass to mix into the compost, and it's taken several mornings each week to finish. I did just top up one of the compost bins and start another.

Green beans still coming and I'm still freezing them.
Red raspberries still coming, but they're nowhere near as sweet now.

I've harvested some basil leaves, washed them, patted them dry with a towel, laid them out individually on a tinfoil covered cookie sheet, and baked them for three 20-minute periods at 170 F, then ground them in a mortar. This worked fine, and now I have some "home-grown basil" for my spice cabinet, to go with last year's "home-grown oregano". (I dried the oregano by just cutting stems, putting them in a salad box with a paper towel over it to keep dust out, and waiting a few months.)

I think we might get ripe cantaloupes before frost, but I'm not sure how many of the watermelons will be ripe. And I wish that more of the tomatoes would hurry up. (For those interested in experimental results: I ordered seeds of a cherry tomato 'Indigo Blue Berries' from Territorial Seed Co. in Oregon. The plants produce fruits like crazy. And the fun thing is, I can harvest the ripe ones by shaking the plant cages - the ripe ones fall off. However - the color described in the catalog is not what I'm seeing. They are indeed blue when they're unripe. But the ripe ones are a deep orangey-maroon on top, and dusky orange on bottom.)

I keep forgetting to note these, but in the flower garden behind the kitchen window - the sweet alyssum are lovely, and I can smell their sweetness as I go out the back door. And the mums are starting to bloom - curiously, even though they were three different bronze shades when I bought them, they're all yellow now.

We have a plan to do a lot of bulb-moving a bit later in the season. The tulips do better out front but struggle in back. The hyacinths do fine in either place. So we'll dig all the tulips and put them out front, spreading them out as needed. And we'll put the hyacinths all out back. (We had daffodils out back but they all died within 2 years. So if the hyacinths are the only thing that will do well in back, then that's where they all go.)
***
Hope everyone else is staying safe, staying well, and *staying prepared* for whatever craziness may show up before the November election!

Posted by: Pat* at September 12, 2020 02:55 PM (2pX/F)

66 I haven't heard about a similar situation with home
vegetable gardening but I have to think it is happening. And if it is,
does it consist of a container with a tomato plant or more extensive
container and in-ground gardening?
Posted by: JTB at September 12, 2020 02:19 PM (7EjX1)


The farmers' market was sold out of vegetable plants in March and April, as was Walmart and the local gardening shops.
I wound up saving volunteer tomatoes, which all pretty much wound up being cherry tomatoes, and later got the heirlooms that I wanted. I also changed my garden around to save the volunteer lettuce.

Not sure what happens next year, but I hope I can get the peppers that I want for a change, and I may decide to invest in some low hoop houses for early planting.

Posted by: Kindltot at September 12, 2020 02:56 PM (WyVLE)

67 58 ... "Kind of like my fixation with woodworking magazines and tools. (And wood carving)

Look at the featured projects and think...I can do that, if I had the time...or for one of the more complicated pieces, boy, I'd sure like to try that."

Traveling Man,

Woodworking, carving and hand tools are a weakness of mine. I learned long ago My talent for such matters is limited. With wood carving I love those realistic carvings and Scandinavian figure carvings but I suck at them. But I enjoy whittling like ball in a cage, chip carving and low relief carving. Hell, I even like maintaining the hand tools.

I sort of take the same keep-it-simple approach to gardening.

Posted by: JTB at September 12, 2020 03:00 PM (7EjX1)

68 But I enjoy whittling like ball in a cage, chip carving and low relief carving. Hell, I even like maintaining the hand tools.

I sort of take the same keep-it-simple approach to gardening.
Posted by: JTB at September 12, 2020 03:00 PM (7EjX1)


I've carved a few small figurines and small caricature busts. Got a few walking sticks/canes that I haven't touched in several years that I need to finish up. I've got all the knives and a drawer ful of gouges to do chip carving and relief carving. Plus I have the usual woodworking tools.. table saw, surface planer and several miter saws as well as a tall cabinet full of vintage tools like hand planes, ect.

Posted by: Traveling Man Who's Stuck At Home. Thanks China &&&& at September 12, 2020 03:09 PM (JXyUG)

69 Since I've been on the road so much the last few years, haven't had time to make use of them.

Posted by: Traveling Man Who's Stuck At Home. Thanks China &&&& at September 12, 2020 03:10 PM (JXyUG)

70 Don't know if it's the fires or something else, but my computer is super-slow. Even after updating.

Posted by: KT at September 12, 2020 03:18 PM (BVQ+1)

71 Hola JT. Como esta?
Posted by: Traveling Man Who's Stuck At Home. Thanks China &&&&

Hiya !

Perry Como ain't here.

Posted by: JT at September 12, 2020 03:21 PM (arJlL)

72 Pat* at September 12, 2020 02:55 PM
The detail about the changing color of your chrysanthmums is fascinating.

Posted by: KT at September 12, 2020 03:30 PM (BVQ+1)

73 Willowed but anyhow .
I have 3 dead pines in my front yard, dropping them is not a option, but at least I could lessen the debris from them by cutting the branches up as high as I can, up 19 feet on 2 of them, 3rd tomorrow.
Still getting last couple cucumbers from a plant that was slow starting, the 3 others are gone. Lots of Anaheim and Jalapeno peppers and some tomatoes. Thinking of making Chile again tomorrow.

Posted by: Skip at September 12, 2020 03:57 PM (OjZpE)

74 Butterfly Lives Matter!
Posted by: klaftern at September 12, 2020 02:21 PM (RuIsu)

Speaking of which, I just got back inside from pulling up an invasive plant and reporting it: black swallow-wort. Now I have to dig up the roots to be sure it's gone.

It is a member of the milk pod family but POISONOUS to monarch butterflies. Gah!

And on a funny moron-related note: a pawpaw is growing from a seed cast into the compost. Souvenir from last year's mini-MiMoMee in Hell, Michigan

Posted by: NaughtyPine at September 12, 2020 03:57 PM (/+bwe)

75 Still getting last couple cucumbers from a plant that was slow starting, the 3 others are gone. Lots of Anaheim and Jalapeno peppers and some tomatoes. Thinking of making Chile again tomorrow.
Posted by: Skip at September 12, 2020 03:57 PM (OjZpE)

Sounds delicious. Too bad about the pines; that's a lot of work to remove.

Posted by: NaughtyPine at September 12, 2020 04:13 PM (/+bwe)

76 KT,
Clemson spineless.

Skip, we use throw-bags to place ropes in trees.
Any light rope, with a sufficient weight will do (big nut tied to about paracord size line).
Chuck that baby over a high enough limb, go around the main trunk, and use it to pull the tree in the direction you need it to go (with proper notch, of course). Or, if the tree is too heavy, set a larger line using the smaller line.

Posted by: MarkY at September 12, 2020 04:25 PM (nPN1A)

77 Never had a Pawpaw or stuck one in my pocket, wonder what they taste like.

Posted by: Skip at September 12, 2020 04:26 PM (OjZpE)

78 All 3 are at least 35 feet high, house, powerlines or other good trees all around.

Posted by: Skip at September 12, 2020 04:39 PM (OjZpE)

79 https://tinyurl.com/y5b2o3cf

https://tinyurl.com/y42wfh5t
Posted by: Taqiyyologist at September 12, 2020 01:18 PM (j3jZX)

Those pagoda flowers are spectacular, I had never seen those before! Mexican petunias, very familiar with those (another bloomer that doesn't mind heat!)

I'm in East Texas, beautyberry is one of the undergrowth shrubs found throughout the piney woods here. Gotta be a native to the great forest that once upon a time stretched unbroken from East Texas all the way to the Atlantic.

Posted by: Tom Servo at September 12, 2020 04:55 PM (V2Yro)

80 I don't think anyone ID'd the butterfly yet - I think it's one of the Fritillaries, probably the Gulf Fritillary.

it reminds me that in a month or so, the Monarchs are going to be migrating again, always love to see them.

Posted by: Tom Servo at September 12, 2020 05:04 PM (V2Yro)

81 Never had a Pawpaw or stuck one in my pocket, wonder what they taste like.
Posted by: Skip at September 12, 2020 04:26 PM (OjZpE)

They're a custard apple. Taste tropical but not mango, more banana.

Posted by: NaughtyPine at September 12, 2020 05:45 PM (/+bwe)

82 They're a custard apple. Taste tropical but not mango, more banana. NaughtyPine

I call them lemony banana custard. Some people do NOT like them... kinda like cilantro. Must be a genetic thing.
There's a brewpub in Lawrence, Ks. that makes pawpaw beer each year.
I'll send KT a picture. Very tropical looking, and a fine plant in its own right

Posted by: MarkY at September 12, 2020 07:05 PM (nPN1A)

83 Bonecrusher, ya done good, son . . . wish I knew who the daylily photographer was, but I don't - you done good too.

Posted by: Dr_No at September 12, 2020 08:40 PM (mu5GU)

84 Pawpaws vary in flavor in the wild. Some have notes of turpentine.


If you're planning to eat the fruit, you may want to go with named varieties. You'll need two different ones that bloom together unless your neighbor has a tree.

Posted by: KT at September 13, 2020 12:31 AM (BVQ+1)

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